Awkward Parts of Teenage Love
by reminiscent-afterthought
Summary: Because not everything has to be dripping with angst or chaste kisses.
1. Whatsortofflowersdoyoulike

**A/N:** Written for the Hogwarts Fair 2014, Candyfloss stall (write a fluffy piece).

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**Awkward Parts of Teenage Love  
1. Whatsortofflowersdoyoulike?**

Ron was hopeless at romance. He couldn't help it; he didn't have a great set of role-models on the subject after all. Fred and George had a following of girls no matter what they did, and all they had to do was ask one on a date and it was done.

Granted, neither of them wanted someone as hard to please as Hermione Grange. Which was probably a good thing, in retrospect. He didn't want to be fighting his brothers for the girl. He'd lose.

And then there was Charlie, who had absolutely no interest in girls at all. Seriously. As far as Ron knew, he hadn't even had his first kiss. A little depressing, Ron thought. Even he'd had a kiss before. Granted, that was with Lavender Brown and a memory he didn't like thinking about nowadays.

And then there was Bill, the only one of them who hadn't started drooling at the sight of Fleur Delacour, and was now about to marry her. Ron thought that was torture, pure torture. Not that he liked Fleur like _that_ – but he couldn't help those Veela tendencies of hers, could he? Hermoine didn't have to glare at him like that…

But maybe that meant she did like him. He brightened up at that thought.

Percy was no help either. He had his fair share of crushes – like Penelope Clearwater – but Ron would be damned if he'd take any advice from that traitor. And Giny…well, Ginny was a girl and the baby of the family and wasn't supposed to be in love anyway…

So he kind of had to wing it with Hermione. Unfortunately, his wings weren't getting him very far. The getting her jealous plan ended up with him having scars from bird beaks and being scarred for life after Lavender's…forcefulness. Though that was his own fault too.

He only hoped that the birds Hermione had set on him meant that she had felt jealous and that part of the plan at least had gone off without a hitch.

And then there was the try and butter Hermione up plan. That was a miserable fail and he couldn't salvage even a tiny bit of hope from it. He wouldn't even try to rationalise that one. It was just…a miserable fail.

And then there was the time he'd gotten poisoned – which hadn't even been intentional, but perhaps the most success he'd had. Though he didn't like the idea of being poisoned again, and he got the feeling that didn't count as romance anyway.

He sighed, looking at his parchment of notes and plans. 'Maybe I should just ask her out on a date like Fred and George always do,' he sighed. And maybe get her some nice flowers…but what sort of flowers did she like anyway? They never talked about flowers.

Then he actually considered the idea and his mouth dried up.

Harry and Hermione found him a few minutes later, coughing and quickly scrambling to hide that piece of parchment.

No way was he asking _Hermione_, and Harry – Harry was worse than he was. At least he hadn't made a girl he was kissing cry.

He sighed. Harry and Hermione looked curiously at him, then at the pile of books and parchment he'd been hiding in. 'Homework?' Harry said sympathetically.

'…something like that,' Ron replied, looking sidelong at Hermione who was frowning over the books.

'You left them to the last minute again?' she asked, exasperatingly.

'No!' Ron cried, before coughing and correcting himself. 'I did my homework. This is just…something extra…'

Hermione hummed and took a look at the books. 'Revising?' she asked, this time sounding pleased.

Ron decided not to mention he hadn't been doing that either. Though he probably should, since Hermione seemed happy to think he had been.

Well…he guessed it wouldn't hurt to find out a few other things she liked. 'Hermione..?'

'Yes?' She raised her head from The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 5 to stare at him.

'What – ' His mouth was growing dry again. 'Whatsortofflowersdoyoulike?'

'Excuse me?' she asked, confused.

Ron took a deep breath – and his courage fled. 'Never mind,' he said, taking The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 5 from her. 'So, about McGonagall's transfiguration homework –'

'I thought you said you'd done it all.' Hermione was scowling again, hands on her hips and his previous unintelligible question completely forgotten. Harry had a bemused expression on his face for a while, but he quickly forgot about it as well.

Particularly since he was stuck on that particular homework item as well.


	2. Gryffindor says Jerk, Slytherin thinks S

**A/N:** Written for the Pairing God Challenge, Astoria/Michael.

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**Awkward Parts of Teenage Love  
2. Gryffindor says Jerk, Slytherin thinks Sweet**

Michael Corner was supposed to be a jerk, but that was by the point of view of a few Gryffindors, and Astoria didn't think much of their opinions. After all, she was a Slytherin and they were Gryffindors and they seemed destined to be at ends with one another. In fact, if they said he was a jerk, she was liable to think him the sweetest guy in the world until proven otherwise.

So when she was wondering around Hogsmeade by herself and bumped in to him, she smiled and offered a few words of polite, comfortable, conversation. And he proved her right, sounding as sweet as she'd expected him to be. Realising she was on her own, he offered company. He didn't try to be chivalrous though: didn't pretend he could defend her against the world or she couldn't defend herself.

And he was neutral anyway. Ravenclaw. They didn't shun the Slytherins like the rest of the school, and Astoria found herself liking him more and more by the minute. He said all the right things: not becoming a walking cliché in the least but not being a brick wall either. Those sorts of boys were uncomfortable. So were the ones who got too touchy-feely. But she cast a mean jinx.

She didn't need to use it. In fact, the thought never crossed her mind. They had tea together, looked at a few books. They talked about neutral things. Not about the war that frowned at them, or the school or Harry Potter (and that in itself was a remarkable accomplishment, considering most didn't talk about anything _else_). They talked about favourite books, recent classes, the favourite for winning the Quidditch Cup this year. Things like that she could once upon a time talk to anyone about. But not so often anymore.

When he suggested they meet up again next Hogsmeade weekend, she eagerly accepted. She'd had fun, and it was nice being with someone outside her house for a change as well. She did love her house, but when the rest of the school glared sometimes an outsider being nice was all that mattered. And he was beyond nice. Even if she might have glorified him a little in her mind.

And the icing on the cake was when they walked back from Hogsmeade together and passed Ginny Weasley with Dean Thomas. The expression on her face was pure shock when a Slytherin like Astoria Greengrass walked past her, elbows locked with Michael Corner.


End file.
